A Quiet, Heavy Secret
by Keitorin Asthore
Summary: As the shaman fight continues and the months roll by, Anna finds it harder and harder to keep her secret. Oneshot. COMPLETE.


Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei, not me.

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"Lie still."

She was not accustomed to being ordered around. Despite the command, she struggled to sit up, but a gentle hand pushed her firmly back. The world swam around her, but she slowly realized that she was lying on a narrow bed with a blanket draped loosely around her.

"What happened?" she mumbled. Her tongue felt thick and heavy in her mouth.

"You fainted."

Her face flushed red as she stared up at the smooth white ceiling and her equilibrium balanced. "Did everyone-"

"No. You got so pale all of a sudden…I convinced you to come upstairs and you just dropped as soon as the door closed."

She closed her eyes, willing the swell of nausea and dizziness to go away. "Thank you," she said, a bit grudging.

The gentle hand, cool and light, touched her forehead. She cracked open one eye to see Tamao watching her with an odd look in her eyes. "Stop staring at me," she murmured.

For the first time she could remember, Tamao ignored her. "You should drink something," she said. "I'll be right back."

She closed her eyes again as Tamao walked away. The thought of water sounded delicious, but at the same time she wasn't sure if her rebellious stomach would be able to handle it.

She sighed audibly just to alleviate the oppressive silence of the little room. Somewhere downstairs he was laughing with his friends, but part of her wished he would come upstairs, just to see if she was all right.

That was silly, of course.

She turned her head as Tamao opened the door, a glass of water in her hands. "Sit up slowly," she said.

As much as she wanted to prove her wrong, she knew from experience that changing positions too quickly left her disoriented and sick, so she pulled herself upright cautiously, leaning against the wall. Tamao handed her the glass. She drank slowly; the water tasted sweet and lukewarm. "Since when did you become so forceful?" she asked.

"Anna."

Anna regarded her coolly over the rim of the glass as she sipped the water.

"How long?"

The water turned bitter in her mouth. She set the glass down. "A few months," she said. "Four, I think."

"When?"

"In June."

Tamao fell silent. Anna stared at the rippling water. Her stomach tightened. "How long have you known?" she asked.

"I've suspected for a while," Tamao said. "The changes in mood, changes in appetite. And you've been so tired."

She bit her lip. "I suppose I am tired," she said, staring out the window.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Tamao asked.

"I did," she argued, whipping her head around so fast her blonde hair floated around her like a cloud. "Yoh knows. Most likely Amidamaru as well. Kino and Keiko. And Faust." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "That's why I convinced him to join Yoh's team. Where else was I going to find a doctor that could keep a secret?"

"You're not ashamed, are you?" Tamao asked quietly.

"Of course not," Anna snapped. Without thinking she rested her hand on her belly, the slight roundness hidden easily beneath the blanket. "I'm not ashamed. I could never be ashamed."

Tamao sat down on the edge of the bed. "Why?" she asked.

"Why?" Anna repeated. She rolled her eyes. "Well, you see, Tamao, when a man and a woman love each other very much…"

"Not that," Tamao said impatiently. "Why did you…you and Yoh…you're so young…"

Anna leaned heavily against the wall. "Kino told me I needed to do it," she said. "Just in case he…"

"He dies," Tamao finished.

"That way the Asakura line won't die out," she shrugged. Her shoulders relaxed. "But in the end…we weren't even thinking about it. It just happened and…well, everything happened." Without thinking she gripped the blanket that covered her stomach. "You can't tell anyone. If Hao knew, he could-"

Her voice broke as her throat tightened. Tamao, in an unwonted show of bravery, reached over and gripped her hand. Anna allowed it. The reassurance of a human touch was enough to chase the nightmares that plagued her.

The door creaked open. Tamao dropped Anna's hand. "I was wondering where you went," Yoh said. He glanced from one girl to the other. Anna looked down at the blanket. "Huh. I guess Tamao knows."

"I won't tell a soul," she promised hastily.

"I know," he said, serene. He approached the bed as Tamao scooted out of the way. "May I?"

She nodded. He placed his hand on her slightly rounded belly, and without thinking she sighed. Yoh smiled. "Faust says you're doing as well as could be expected," he said.

Anna raised and lowered one slender shoulder. "I would be better if we were at home," she said.

"I know," he said quietly. "This will be over soon. Before the baby comes."

The secret word, the one that neither of them spoke, brought a smile to her lips. "June 27th," she said.

"Hm?"

"Faust says June 27th," she said.

"That's good," he said. "That's plenty of time for us to finish the fight and go home." He bent his dark head over her golden one, touching his forehead to hers. She closed her eyes, but he drew away. "I guess I should warn you that Seyram and Redseb are on their way up. They thought you were dead and want to check on you."

Anna sighed. "They think I'm their mother," she said.

"Think of it as practice," Yoh grinned. He patted her stomach one last time. "I'll bring your dinner up in a little bit. Try to eat something."

"I will, I will," she said. "Don't boss me around. That's my job." He just grinned.

Redseb hurtled into the room and bounded onto the bed, Seyram at his heels. "Sissy, are you all right?" he demanded.

"I'll be fine as long as you don't jump on the bed," she said crossly. Redseb halted his leaping and plunked down by her knees. Seyram crawled up next to her and huddled in the crook of her arm.

"I guess I'll bring dinner for all three of you," Yoh said cheerfully. He ambled down the hall.

"He treats you awful nice," Redseb commented. "I think he loves you. Do you love him? Are you going to marry him? Are you going to have a baby? You should have a boy. I would play with him, and teach him how to play games and stuff."

"I don't know," Anna lied as she smoothed his hair back. He scowled under her firm touch. Anna glanced up, and saw Tamao against the wall, forgotten. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she watched Anna. Helplessly the young mother-to-be watched as the erstwhile sweetheart picked up the glass of water and left the room in silence.

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**Author's Note:**

Oh mah gah, y'all, I wrote another one! I'm on a roll!

This one has been swimming in my head for a couple of months. I'm working on an epic novel-length Anna story (sh, it's a secret!) and I started developing this part and...bah-BAM! Had this idea.

Also, in case you were wondering, Hana was definitely conceived the night that Yoh left for America, meaning that Anna is actually hiding her pregnancy throughout the shaman fight. I had this initial idea about Tamao finding out, but I may develop this separately as a story, outside of the Anna novel.

Anyone want to read them? Either one? If people really want to read them, it'll motivate me to write...hint, hint...


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